Clothes-washer.



W. MURPHY.

CLOTHES WASHER.

APPLICATION rum) mam. 191s.

Patented Mar. 10, 191i abbo'mwi WILLIAM MURPHY, OF KEYSER, WEST VIRGINIA.

CLOTHES-WASHER.

Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed August 11, 1913. Serial No. 784,175.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Keyser, in the county of Mineral and State of \Vest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ClothesW: 1sh ers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined steam and vacuum washer; and it comprises a .washer which can be used as a steam washer for washing white clothes or other clothes capable of standing the temperature of the boiling water or as a vacuum washer for colored clothes or other clothes which require a lower temperature than that of steam or boiling water, the washer comprising a conical perforated member adapted to be used either with a suitable base as a steam washer or with a suitable handle and valve or other closure device as a vacuum washer; and it further comprises certain details of construction and arrangement of parts; all as more fully hereii'la't'ter set forth and as claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

In these drawings Figure 1 shows a boiler with the washer arranged to operate as a steam washer, partsbeing shown in section; Fig. 2 shows the bottom of the washer taken along the line 2-2 Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the top of the base member; Fig. 4 shows a modified base member for an oblong boiler; Fig. 5 shows the washer in cross section with the outer cover or valve casing in place; Fig. 6 shows the washer in elevation when used as a vacuum washer; and Fig. 7 shows a modified form of outer casing.

In the embodiment of the invention illus trated a boiler of any suitable shape and form, but shown as round for purposes of illustration, is shown at- 1 provided with a lower base member 2 thereinof corresponding form, but also shown as round, and this base member 2 is held in the bottom of the boiler by the lugs 4: below which the base is inserted by means of the recesses 3. Above the base 2, and attached thereto by any suitable means which will permit easy detachment is the conical member 5 from which extends upwardly the conical member 6 which is provided with perforations spaced apart. The up er cone 6 is closed at its top and has extendlng. therein the tube 8 which is held in place at its end by the strip 9 which extends across the base of the cone,

the tube 8 being closed at its lower end. The base member 2 is shown as provided with hooks 14 which engage pins or lugs near the lower end of the cone 5. The cone 5 is also provided with vacuum chambers 11 and 12 similar in their nature to those used in vacuum washers, but preferably provided with small holes 12 which permit a restricted circulation only therethrough. An outer cone or valve casing is shown at 13, this outer casing being also provided with perforations which can be made to register wit-h those of the inner cone 6. This outer cone is rotatable upon the inner cone 6, and is preferably detachable therefrom and provided with guide-ways or other means for holding it in place either with the holes of: the two cones registering or out of alinement so that the two cones together form a series of small valves which can be all opened at once or closed completely or to any desired extent. In the tube 8 a handle 10 is adapted to be placed by means of which the attachment as a whole can be lifted and lowered, and this handle 10 is advantageously provided with a. fork or upper ehd so that it. can be used as a clothes-stick. In Fig. 7 the outer casing 1.3 is shown as solid so that when placed upon the cone (3 it serves as a valve member to close the erforations. The boiler 1 is shown as provided with handles 16 and with a flaring top 17 so that if any water is forced up past the cover 18 it can run back without overflowing on to the stove upon which the boiler is placed. The cover 18 is shown as provided with the usual handles 19 and with an agitating device 20 for moving or agitating the clothes.

\Vhite clothes can be readily cleansed by :boiling with soapy water at the boiling temperature of water. Colored clothes however, and clothes made out of woolen and other material are unable to stand this temperature without injury. The combined steam and vacuum washer of the present invention enables both white and colored clothes to be washed with the same device without necessitating duplicate washers for the different kinds of clothes. The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 shows the device as used I idly heated. As a result of the steam formed the water is thrown out through the hole 7 with considerable force, the water being thus forced through the clothes and continucape for the water from the cone is through the hole 7 directly into and against the surrounding clothes. The base member- 2 is I held in place by the lugs 4 so that the washer as a whole cannot be raised by the force of the steam, nor is the base member 2 raised when the upper cones 5 and 6 are removed. The vacuum cones 11 actas compression chambers from which the steam and water can slowly escape by means of the holes 12. Since these cones 12 occupy a considerable space in the base member 5 they act as buffers or as compression chambers and assist-in the forcing of the water and steam up into the cone 6 and out through the hole 7,

while/ the holes 12 nevertheless-modify this compression action so that' water is not trapped in these cones nor is steam or air permitted to remain quiescent therein. The tendency of the water co-surge ,into these cones is retarded and the surging effect in the upper cone 6 is thus increased. When it is desired to remove the washing device from the base 2 this is'readily efit'ected by means of the hooks 14 or other suitable detachable connections. The washer can thus be raised from its base, a handle 10 can be inserted, the outer cone or valve casing 13 or 13 can be applied or rotated to close the hole 7, and the device can be used as a vacuum washer for'pounding or scrubbing the clothes in the boiler. as vacuum cones while the small holes 12 permit slight inflow or outflow of air or water so that water cannot be trapped in these cones. The circulation of wateris thus materially promoted while the. advantages of the vacuum washer are still however retained. The action of the casing of valve member 13 or 13 is'to close the holes 7 in the cone 6 and prevent any material flow of air or water through them. Usually however the fit of the outer valve member is such that a restricted flow. of' air is possible. As a result the act-ion of the washer is modified to the extent of the flow thus permitted.

The base member 2" is oblong instead of round and corresponds in shape to the oblong wash boiler in which it is intended to be used. The operation of the washer in such a boiler is similar to that already described.

It will be 'seen that the same washing device can be used either with the base member 2 as a steam washer in which case the The cones 11 act outer valve member 13 is entirely removed or is arranged with its holes in alinement with those in the cone 6; and it will be seen that this washer can also be used as a clothes pounder or vacuum washer by removing the device from its base and closing the hole 7 by means of the valve casing 13, a suitable handle 10 being in this case used to operate the washer. The washer is thus constructed so that it can beused either for white "or for colored clothes and either as a steam washer or as a vacuum washer. When not in use 1t can be kept 1n the boller as shown 1n Fig. 1. The washer of the present invention accordingly combines the advantages of two separate and independent washers in one, and this without any elaborate ,arrangement ofstruct-ure. The device moreover is readily convertible from one form into the other and is simply constructed and not liable to get out of order. It will be understood that variations and modifica tions can be made in, the embodiment of the- -invention described and illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forthin the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A washer comprising a lower conical part adapted to be attached to a supporting base and provided with vacuum cones therein, an upper conical member supported by said lower conical member and provided with perforations and closed at its top, and an outer conical member conforming generally in shape to the shape of said upper conical member adapted to act as a valve member with respect. to said perforations y when surrounding said upper conical member.

v 2. A washer comprising a lower base member, a conical member attachably supported by said base member and provided with a plurality of vacuum cones each pro-- vided with minute perforations, an upper conical member above said lower conical member provided with perforations and closed at its upper end, and means for regulating the size of the perforations in said upper conical member.

3. A washer comprising a lower base member, a washing device of conical contour thereabove and detachably supported thereby, said washing device being provided with lateral perforations and being closed at its top and means for controlling the size of said lateral perforations.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W. MURPHY. Witnesses: v

F. E. BARROWS, 

